is a Canadian actor and playwright based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He has appeared in numerous high-profile films and television series shot in the Vancouver area, including The X-Files, Smallville, Caprica, Godzilla, The Man in the High Castle, Altered Carbon, iZombie, Legends of Tomorrow, Heroes Reborn, Kim's Convenience, and Shōgun, and was a writer on Da Vinci's City Hall. As a voice-over artist, he was the original English-language voice of Gihren Zabi in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise and played Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes.
Kanagawa's play Indian Arm won the 2015 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award and the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award for English-language Drama. He is also a four-time Leo Award nominee.
Early life and education Kanagawa was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan and grew up in Guelph, Ontario, Sterling Heights, Michigan, and Tokyo. He graduated from International Christian University High School. Prior to his acting career, he worked in Tokyo as a sculptor and rock musician.
Kanagawa conducted his undergraduate studies in sculpting at Middlebury College, where he graduated in 1986. He also attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. After dropping out of his initial graduate program, he re-enrolled at Simon Fraser University, where he completed his first play and completed his MFA in 1994.
Career Kanagawa played Principal Kwan in the television series Smallville. He also voiced Gihren Zabi from Mobile Suit Gundam. He was also the voice of Mister Fantastic on Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes. Kanagawa has the distinction of having played three different characters in the television series The X-Files, appearing independently in seasons 2, 4, and 10. From 2015 to 2016, he played Yakuza boss Tashi in the alternate history series The Man in the High Castle.
Besides acting, Kanagawa is also a playwright and screenwriter and teaches creative writing in the English department at Capilano University. He is an Associate Member of the Playwrights' Theatre Centre.
In 2015, he won the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Outstanding Script for his play Indian Arm, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Little Eyolf. In 2017, Indian Arm won the Governor General's Award for English-language drama."Governor General Literary Awards announced: Joel Thomas Hynes wins top English fiction prize". CBC News, November 1, 2017.
Personal life Kanagawa has lived in British Columbia since 1990. He resides in Port Moody, British Columbia, with his wife, artist Tasha Faye Evans. They have two children together.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 Born Too Soon Resident 1994 My Name is Kate Doctor Voices from Within Medical Examiner 1995 A Child Is Missing Agent Kurosaka Cyberjack Kenji 1997 Bliss Emergency Doctor Excess Baggage Jon 1998 Futuresport Otomo Akira 1999 Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying Controller Resurrection Tech #22000 The Guilty Police Detective Protection Don Best in Show Pet Shop Owner 2001 Josie and the Pussycats Japanese Delegate 2005 Hiro Hiro Best Friends Detective Miyashiro2005ElektraMeizumi 2006 Family in Hiding Kanagawa 2007 War Yoshido 2008 The Day the Earth Stood Still Dr. IkegawaSword of the StrangerShoanVoice; English-language dub A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2009 Hardwired Dr. Steckler Girlfriend Experience John 2010 The King of Fighters Saisyu Kusanagi 2011 Doomsday Prophecy Dr. Yates Earth's Final Hours Tech 2013 Down River Aki's Father Grave Halloween Jin 2014 Godzilla Hayato 2015 The Age of Adaline Kenneth 2018 Fifty Shades Freed Detective Clark 2019 Midway Commander Isamu Fujita 2020 Deeper I Go Short film 2021 Crisis Dr. Ishiyama iDorothy Sal Short film Hiro and the Emerald Lady Hiro Needle in a Timestack Tattersal Every Breath You Take Dr. Toth 2022 Orphan: First Kill Detective Donnan 2025 Akashi Cab Driver Playdate Colonel Kurtz
Television Year Title Role Notes 1994 Madison Teacher Highlander: The Series Akira Yoshida Episode: "The Samurai" M.A.N.T.I.S. Yakuza Translator 1994, 1997, 2016 The X-Files Dr. Yonechi, Peter Tanaka, Garner 3 episodes 1998, 2000 The Outer Limits Ron Hikida / Tali 2 episodes 1996 Sliders Henry Episode: "Obsession" 1998 Cold Squad The Inspectors Polygraph Tech Television film 1999 The Net Frank Episode: "Y2K – Total System Failure" 2000 Seven Days Mr. Kim / Dr. Oshima 2 episodes Dark Angel Theo Episode: "Pilot"The Linda McCartney StorySenior Narcotics OfficerTelevision film 2001–02 Smallville Principal James Kwan 5 episodes 2002 Damaged Care Dr. Kitano Living with the Dead Frank the Business Consultant2003BetrayedDr. TanakaTelevision film 2005 The 4400 Agent Park 2 episodes Criminal Minds Seattle ASAC Episode: "Extreme Aggressor" Steklo Akira Andromeda Burma 2 episodes Stargate SG-1 Mr Wayne Episode: "Full Alert" Da Vinci's City Hall Fire Captain Roy Komori 9 episodes 2006 Blade: The Series Taka Episode: "The Sacrifice" 2007 Intelligence Detective Ogawa 7 episodes 2008 Heroes and Villains Mitsunari Ishida Episode: "Shogun" What Color Is Love? Henry Wong Episode: The Story of Saiunkoku Kaku Episode: "It's the Company That Makes Travel Unpleasant" 2009 Supernatural Game Show Host Episode: "Changing Channels" Reaper Morris 3 episodes Sanctuary Ark-Fong Li Episode: "Eulogy" 2010 Caprica Cyrus Xander 13 episodes Human Target Lt. Peale Episode: "Pilot" Fringe Lawyer Episode: "The Box" 2011–12 The Secret Circle Calvin Wilson 2 episodes 2012 Continuum Dr. Ted Gibson1 episode 2012–14 Blackstone Harold 4 episodes 2013 The Tomorrow People Corbin Episode: "All Tomorrow's Parties" Bates Motel Dr. Kurata 2 episodes 2013–14 Almost Human Recollectionist 3 episodes 2014 The 100 Council Member #3 3 episodes 2015 The Returned Dr. Hiromoto 3 episodes The Magicians Professor March 2 episodes The Whispers Team Member 1 Brent 3 episodes Dark Matter Emperor Ishida Tetsuda 2 episodes 2015–16 The Man in the High Castle Taishi Okamura 5 episodes Heroes Reborn Hachiro Otomo/Red Samurai 8 episodes 2015, 2018 iZombie Lieutenant Suzuki Recurring season 1; guest season 4 2016 Timeless Agent Kondo Episode: "Pilot" Zoo Curtis Episode: "The Moon and the Star" Kim's Convenience Pastor Choi 2 episodes 2017–18 Legends of Tomorrow Director Wilbur Bennett 4 episodes 2018 Altered Carbon Captain Tanaka 7 episodes Salvation Chief Justice Martin Cheng 4 episodes Designated Survivor NASA Liaison to the President Richard Kim Episode: "The Final Frontier" 2019 The Order Detective Hayashi Episode: "Hell Week, Part One" Warigami James Ohata 6 episodes The Terror Dr. Kitamura 2 episodes Limetown R.B. Villard 2 episodes See Lord Unoa 4 episodes 2020 Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Dr. Hamara 3 episodes Charmed Dr. Tanaka Episode: "Unsafe Space" Helstrom Father Sean Okamoto Episode: "Viaticum" 2021 Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan Narrator (voice) 6 episodes The Good Doctor Dr. Paul Nakano Episode: "Letting Go" 2022 Star Trek: Discovery Dr. Hirai 4 episodes Pachinko Goto-San Episode: "Chapter One"2022–23 Upload Sato 4 episodes So Help Me Todd Alistair Song 2 episodes 2023 The Night Agent FBI Director Willet 3 episodes 2023–24 Percy Jackson and the Olympians Headmaster / Kronos 2 episodes 2024 Avatar: The Last Airbender Fire Lord SozinEpisode: "Aang" Shōgun Igarashi Yoshitomo 3 episodes Family Law 1 episode 2025 The Last of Us Carlisle Episode: "The Path"
Voice acting
Animation Year Title Role Notes 2001 Mobile Suit Gundam Gihren Zabi English-language dub Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat The Foolish Magistrate 2003 Master Keaton Fumio HisayamaEnglish-language dub 2004 InuYasha Saint Hakushin2005Hikaru no GoRinshin Li 2006–07 Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes Mister Fantastic 2007 Black Lagoon Col. MatsutoEnglish-language dubThe Story of SaiunkokuKaku 2020 Monster Beach Stress LeaveDragon Quest: The Adventure of DaiMatoriv, SigmaEnglish-language dub 2021 Future Boy Conan Dr. Briac LaoEnglish-language dub 2022 Team Zenko Go Mr. Tanaka 2024 Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Katsuaki Ognio, TokushimaEnglish-language dub
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2001 Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front Gihren ZabiEnglish version Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon2003Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space2023Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest – The Adventures of DaiMatoriv2025Assassin's Creed ShadowsOda Nobunaga
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultNotes2006Leo AwardsBest Performance by a Male in a Short DramaHiro2021The TailorDeeper I GoVancouver Short Film FestivalBest Performance by a ManUBCP/ACTRA AwardsBest Supporting Performance, Male2022Leo AwardsBest Performance by a Male in a Short DramaiDorothy
References
External links